The H word + Athletics | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/science/the-h-word+sport/athletics
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The athlete who drank too much Coca-Cola | Vanessa Heggiehttp://www.theguardian.com/science/the-h-word/2012/aug/10/athlete-drank-too-much-coca-cola
In 1913 a Kansas athlete claimed he'd paid a high price for being an experimental subject<p>Or, as I could title this: Lady Boffin 'Blinds' Champ with Coke!</p><p>In 1917 the <em>American Journal of Physiology</em> published an article with the very descriptive title:<a href="http://ajplegacy.physiology.org/content/43/3/371.citation"> &quot;A comparison of the effects of breakfast, of no breakfast and of caffeine on work in an athlete and a non-athlete&quot;</a>. That's a simplified outline of a deceptively complicated set of experiments looking closely at changes in pulse and blood pressure as well as work rate. The results are what we'd probably expect: breakfast is generally good for exercising, while caffeine might be useful but can have some bad side effects in high doses.</p><p>On June 3, 1913, during the time he [B] had been experimenting with the larger doses of caffeine and after he had taken one of the strongest doses, the external rectus muscle of his left eye became paralysed … &quot;B's&quot; friends, among them two physicians, charge it to the influence of the caffeine that &quot;B&quot; failed in an athletic exhibition … during the time that he was conducting the caffeine experiments. Before he began the experiments he had trained himself so that he was able to hit the punching bag with his head, feet and hands alternately on its rebound. It required speed, accuracy and control of muscles, and concentration of thought. He had become an expert in this feat. But his power of concentration, accuracy and precision in his muscles had been greatly impaired so that he was unable to repeat the athletic demonstration with any credit during the time he was taking the strong doses of caffeine.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/the-h-word/2012/aug/10/athlete-drank-too-much-coca-cola">Continue reading...</a>History of scienceNeuroscienceHuman biologyScienceAthleticsSportFri, 10 Aug 2012 12:08:13 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/the-h-word/2012/aug/10/athlete-drank-too-much-coca-colaFrank Baron/GuardianResearchers used Coca-Cola syrup to deliver a standardised hit of caffeine to an athlete. Photograph: Frank Baron/GuardianFrank Baron/GuardianBottle of coca-cola with red cap. Photograph: Frank Baron for the GuardianVanessa Heggie2012-08-10T12:08:13Z